Luke
Almost everyone was here for the rehearsal. I scanned the church. Amber and Zach were missing. Callum had straight-up told me he wasn’t attending because of jet lag. The pussy.
Rhea’s laugh made me smile. It was unhinged, unguarded.
Bella was surrounded by several friends, and I moved in closer to Rhea.
“Can I have a quick word with you?” I whispered.
Her eyes narrowed, and she looked at me suspiciously before glancing over at Bella. Her expression softened, and with a grunt, she peeled away from the crowd.
“So you know about my ex.”
“Who doesn’t?” she said, raising a dark eyebrow.
I tugged at my collar as she tried to stare directly into my soul.
Before I could say another word, I spotted Zach and Amber slipping out of a private doorway. They paused just long enough for Amber to adjust her dress, Zach reaching out to smooth her hair back into place.
That piece of shit. He was going to be a bad influence on my poppet.
“Hello,” Rhea said, waving a hand in front of my face. “Earth to Mars.”
I blinked and focused back on her.
“She might try to crash the wedding. I just need you to stay vigilant. I’ll have people stationed around and inside the church, but you’ll be the closest to her tomorrow.”
She began to chuckle, nodding slightly, as if bobbing to some beat only she could hear.
“Oh, yeaaah. I’m gonna be ready for that action.”
Oh, shit. Now I wasn’t entirely sure who I should be more worried about.
Actually, that might work out rather well. The Jezebel was after my wife and child.
“Thank you, Rhea,” I said, grinning as I thought of the ensuing chaos.
It would only cost a few minutes of our ceremony.
Well worth it, to finally be rid of her.
“No one fucks with my friend except for me,” she growled. “That goes for you too.”
My grin dimmed, and I raised my hands.
Sometimes it was just best to concede a strategic retreat.
? ? ?
I inspected Callum and Zach. They both wore similar navy suits to mine, though my tie and pocket square carried a touch of gold woven through the design.
“Are you nervous?” Callum asked, fixing his cufflinks.
“Not at all,” I drawled.
I was more than ready to be married, ready to finally tie Bella to me for good.
Zach pursed his lips, as if holding back some boomer insult.
“Spit it out, son. Now’s the time.”
“Just don’t make me come after you, old man,” he said, his voice cold, surprisingly restrained for him.
Callum chuckled.
“Damn. Do you remember being that young and full of spunk?”
“We’re family for life now, Zach. Come here,” I said, turning from the mirror and closing the distance before he could dodge.
He tried to shove me off, but I locked my arms around him and hauled him into a full hug, lifting him clean off his feet.
He was heavier than he looked. He grunted, his arms locking around my back on reflex, and the second his feet touched the ground again, he hooked an arm beneath mine and tried to flip me.
I let go of his back and grabbed his neck instead, hauling him into a loose headlock until he conceded, releasing my waist with a muttered curse.
“This isn’t over,” he said, flicking his golden mop back into place like a diva.
“Aren’t you supposed to be the adult here, Luke?” Callum asked, shaking his head. “You know, he kind of reminds me of you, at that age.”
We both glared at him.
“Yup. Two angry peas in a pod,” he said, entirely too cheerfully.
? ? ?
I wasn’t the only one itching to see my girl.
Zach had enough nervous energy for the both of us.
Isabella would power-walk down the aisle with Amber and Rhea.
We’d spent the night at my house, giving them space.
Zach had moped around between eavesdropping on me and Callum and wandering my property, as if searching for evidence against me.
He was an entertaining lad, I’d give him that. He must have checked his phone, or the church doorway, at least a dozen times. I knew Amber must be inundated with the number of texts he’d sent her.
My focus was currently on the guests, and the men I had stationed for security.
Everything was set.
All I needed now was my love, walking through that arched doorway.
Zach’s phone vibrated, and he checked it before his head snapped back to the open doorway.
They had arrived. I scanned the church one last time.
The organ played.
People turned.
My future stepped into the church.
I swallowed down the emotion as I saw her in her wedding dress for the first time.
Poppet had guarded it like a pit bull. It was a soft cream shade that seemed to make her float.
She didn’t wear a veil, and her hair wasn’t pinned up—big and bold, with tiny flowers woven into the crown before the curls dropped around her face.
The bodice had a sharp V-neckline that showed more than a glimpse of her breasts, though they were lovingly encased by an intricate flower design, heavy at her waist but dispersing gradually to blend into the rest of the dress.
Her bouquet was cream, gold, and red roses that made it pop. The girls wore gold and walked on either side of her.
I exhaled slowly. My body relaxed. This was it.
Callum had the rings. I was about to nudge him when I caught a flash of red hair.
My eyes widened, but Sadie was already screaming, sprinting straight for Bella.
Fear took hold of me, freezing me in place, and before anyone could react, Amber body-slammed Sadie and took her down. Half a second later, Rhea piled on top of them both, screaming.
“Not on my watch, bitch.”
The struggle erupted. Callum sprinted down the aisle with Zach. I glanced around to see Michael and Stefan already recording it all.
“What is this?” the priest gasped.
I raised a hand as the security guards began closing in on Sadie. They’d hold her until the police arrived. I rushed to Isabella’s side.
Everything around me vanished as I pulled her into my arms.
“It’s okay, my love. I’ve got you,” I whispered.
“Oh my god. Look at Rhea go. She’s in her natural state,” she snorted, laughing, craning her neck to see around me.
That was when I finally took stock of what was actually happening on the church floor.
Light poured through the massive stained-glass windows on either side of the nave, catching the gold thread of Rhea’s sari as she bounced up and down on top of Sadie. Her ass was no match for her—each time she slammed down, Sadie wheezed, the breath ripped clean from her lungs.
Amber turned toward us, tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried, and failed, to control her laughter.
“Best wedding ever,” she cried, before dissolving into another fit of giggles.
People swarmed in to deal with the aftermath, but all I could do was look at the love of my life, and the family gathered around us.
Every single one of them was fierce, in their own particular way.
But when it came to any outsider, we all closed ranks without hesitation.
The chaos was the beauty of it.
I wouldn’t have had it any other way.